FA to look into Newcastle request to punish De Jong

The Football Association will consider Newcastle's request for action to be taken against Nigel de Jong but may be powerless to implement any punishment.

The Tyneside club have written to the FA after Magpies winger Hatem Ben Arfa had his leg broken by a tackle from De Jong in a 2-1 loss at Manchester City.

An FA spokesman said: "We will consider the contents of the letter."

However, the options open to the FA may be limited as referee Martin Atkinson saw the offence and did not punish it.

Ben Arfa, on loan at Newcastle from Marseille, had to undergo surgery on a broken tibia and fibula after being caught by De Jong.

A Newcastle statement read: "Newcastle have written a strongly worded letter to the Football Association in relation to the tackle by Manchester City's Nigel de Jong on Hatem Ben Arfa in Sunday's Premier League fixture, which resulted in Ben Arfa sustaining a broken tibia and fibula of his left leg.

"The club has asked the FA for the appropriate action to be taken against De Jong for the tackle which, in the club's, opinion was unnecessary and used excessive force."

De Jong has already
been dropped from the Netherlands squad
for the forthcoming internationals against Moldova and Sweden, with national coach Bert van Marwijk saying he would speak to the midfielder about some of his challenges.

And Dutch legend Johan Cruyff urged the midfielder to clean up his game, saying: "He's crossed the line two or three times now.

"He needs to understand he is an example to all the young players and I think it [dropping him from the national squad] is a very good decision."

De Jong has also injured American midfielder Stuart Holden this year, while referee Howard Webb has said he would have sent off De Jong in the World Cup final had he realised the full extent of the foul on Spain's Xabi Alonso, when the Dutch midfielder caught the Spaniard in the chest.

However, De Jong's international team-mate Mark van Bommel has spoken out in defence of the midfielder, saying: "It's very unfortunate that he has broken the leg of an opponent twice in six months.

"Thanks to Nigel we reached the final of the World Cup. And now I hear people calling him a criminal. What a nonsense.

"Nigel should not change his game, we need him as he is. But maybe he should occasionally go into a tackle slightly differently."

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